MLK Quote

MLK Quote

Nature's Inspiration Movie

http://www.flickspire.com/m/HealthierL433/NaturesInspiration -- Nature's Inspiration Movie: The photographs in this short video are from award-winning photographer, Ken Jenkins, and they are breathtaking. However, this video is much more than beautiful photographs! Peggy Anderson has compiled beautiful quotations from the likes of Emerson, Thoreau, and many others that truly capture the beauty of nature and solitude. Absolute must watch for nature lovers.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Water Lilies and Sacred Lotuses of NY Botanical Garden

Saturday, August 17, we went to NY Botanical Garden. It's funny that we have been living in NY or close to NY (about 15 minutes drive) for the last fifteen years, and this was the first time we went there. The Botanical Garden occupies an area of about 250 acres with more than one million living plants. It was modeled after London's Royal Botanical Garden, and is considered one of the world's premiere plant research facility. It's Mertz Library is considered America's largest botanical library and houses manuscripts which are 800 years or older. It has plants not only from every corner of the US but also from the world. The giant Redwood Sequoia can be seen, outside of California, only in the grounds of NYBG. It has a rose garden with more than 650 varieties of roses and more than 6000 plants. Beside rose gardens, it has every possible garden-type one can imagine -- old-growth forest, swamp, meadow, prairie, vegetable, children's, home gardens, gardens appealing to senses and what not!! Those of my readers who are from the US might know about the famous Cherry blossoms that happens every spring in Washington DC -- they are famous because they were gift from Japan to the US as symbol of peace and relation between the two countries. However, similar row of cherry blossoms also happens in NYBG (now I don't have to go to DC to see those blossoms :-D)

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How come my garden can't look like this??

We went there for the exhibition "Wild Medicine -- Healing Plants Around that Plant" that's going on there until September 8. So, we only visited Enid A. Haupt Conservatory which are housing all these medicinal plants and the outside area around it. We covered not even 0.1% of the garden. So, without much adieu, I present today only some of the many blooms that we saw in that small area. Today I start with the water lilies and lotus. I am sorry, dear readers, to spoil the pictures with copyright notice across them. I have to take such measures because my site gets hacked and I receive too many spams.
Are you fascinated by these colors and flowers? I wish you could see them with your own eyes -- two huge pond completely covered with all these beautiful, exotic looking flowers. It was a sight to behold. Now, I can understand why lotus are considered in both Hinduism and Buddhism as the flowers on which Gods/Goddesses sleep and sit. They are indeed too beautiful to be part of this mundane world; really belongs to some heavenly universe

Water lilies are known as Nymphaea and Lotus are known as Nelumbo. Lotus are considered as extremely sacred flowers in India and it's the flower of the country. Lotus are sacred to both Hinduism and Buddhism. There are two types of water lilies -- hardy and tropical. Hardy ones will survive the winter of NY/NJ if they are planted below the freezing line in a water feature. Tropical water lilies either need to be treated as annuals or need to be stored over winter. Lotus will be hardy if the rhizomes of the plant do not freeze. Plant the container with the rhizome so that it is below the freezing line in your pool.


21 comments:

  1. Those are some very pretty flowers! I've never seen a peach colored lily before--I love it!

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    1. Betty, thank you :-). I was mesmerized by all the colors -- just too gorgeous and beautiful.

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  2. Those plants are stunning. They are so beautiful it's understandable why many hold the wrong belief, however appealing, that "someone" placed them on this earth *primarily* for us humans to enjoy. If that was the case, then tell that guy on the bulldozer to please, please stop.

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    1. Joolz, which guy on bulldozer? It's not a belief -- when humans describe these flowers as other-wordly, then they are just exuberant, tranced in their beauty. It's similar to like when we do something big and exclaim, "Jeez..can't believe I did this,"...same feeling and expression.

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  3. We'll be visiting NYBG in just a few weeks, thanks for the preview! So looking forward to it :)

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    1. Mark and Gaz -- welcome to NYC. I hope you will enjoy your stay.

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  4. Now - those are plants! What wonderful specimens and it's been a real treat to see them. So a big thank you to you for sharing your trip with us.
    I used to live a 10 minute walk from the Royal Botanic Gardens here in Edinburgh and only ever visited once! It's so easy to miss out on what's on our doorstep. I should repay the inspiration and take a wee trip there soon.

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    1. Angie, don't take a wee trip, take a big one :-) and post lots of information and pictures.

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  5. They are indeed beautiful and almost other-worldly. The Chicago Botanic Garden has some lagoons that are covered with lotus flowers in late summer.

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    1. Jason, it must be a sight to behold - those lagoons with lotus. Please post some photos whenever you can.

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  6. Oh what a wonderful opportunity ..... Just amazing flowers.... Such vibrant colors and perfect for Nature Notes... Michelle

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    1. Michelle, thank you :-). I am glad that you liked it. I would also have to tell you that the ponds were buzzing with dragon flies and other such water-creatures. They were even mating there :-)

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  7. beautiful. I have been thinking of purchasing some lotus for my home. My mother used to grow beautiful lotus but stopped when she moved recently.

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    1. Aspiritofsimplicity -- awesome! please do it and post pictures. I think you can do it easily in Texas.

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  8. these are really beautiful! ive been thinking of growing some water lilies in my pond as well, i think the blue and white ones would suit it well :))

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  9. Wow, so many beautiful colored waterlilies. They are lovely. beautiful photos and post. Have a great evening and a happy weekend!

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  10. Beautiful! I have been to the botanical gardens in London many times and to the water lily house there several times too, it is a fantastic experience being at a place like that, and some great photo opportunities! Thanks for sharing.

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  11. I love water lilies for their very bright blooms. I can even spot them from afar! There are types that blossom in the day and the other blossom in the night. I have only the day blooming type. And... happy visiting botanical gardens at your country and in other parts of the world!

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  12. I rarely get to that part of NY but if I do i will try to make the trip to the Botanical Garden...it looks gorgeous...I love pond lilies!

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  13. wow! they're just really amazing! i bet these things look fantastic in personal! definitely gonna have one of those, after i build a pond, after expanding my garden

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